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CC - Item 6B - Display of Freedom Boat PresentationE M F S O Q7 Q 4 •O• o~ i~^.rEu 0 ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: OLIVER CHI, CITY MANAGER V DATE: JANUARY 22, 2008 SUBJECT: PARTNERING WITH THE VIETNAMESE CULTURAL HOUSE TO CO- HOST THE DISPLAY OF THE FREEDOM BOAT AND APPROPRIATE $15,000 TO SHARE IN THE COSTS OF THE PRESENTATION SUMMARY The President of the Vietnamese Cultural House (VCH), Madalenna Lai, met with the Mayor and staff to discuss the possibility of partnering with the City to host the display of the Freedom Boat. In 1975, many Vietnamese left their country in search of freedom, mostly by boat. One of the Freedom Boats was preserved and given to the VCH in 2001. VCH has partnered with many agencies during the last six years in order to display the Freedom Boat throughout the nation. The proposed Freedom Boat display in Rosemead would take place during the weekend of March 15. Many dignitaries have participated in past opening ceremonies and thousands of visitors (between 1,000 and 10,000) have come to each event to see the display. Staff recommendation Staff recommends that the City Council approve: 1. Partnering with the Vietnamese Cultural House to co-host the display of the Freedom Boat during the weekend of March 15. 2. Appropriating $15,000 in account number 4200-6410-Fund01 (Community Promotions - Misc. Exp. - General Fund) for financial assistance with the event using unreserved, undesignated, General Fund Balance and that the Mayor sign resolution No. 2008-12. ANALYSIS VCH would like to partner with the City of Rosemead to display a 36.5-foot wooden fishing boat, also known as The Freedom Boat. This is just one of many Freedom Boats that fled Vietnam in the late 70's and early 80's. This particular boat washed ashore in the Philippines filled with men, women, and children. None of them had clothing on when they arrived in the Philippines, because they had to eat their clothes in order to survive their journey. APPROVED FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: 64 City Council Meeting • • January 22, 2008 Page 2 of 2 The boat was displayed in the Philippines, for nearly 20 years. VCH worked with the Philippine Government to acquire and display one of the boats in the United States. The Freedom Boat was officially donated to VCH in 2001 and has been making its journey to visit all 50 states. The Freedom Boat is approximately 36.5 feet long and requires a large area to accommodate the boat and the thousands of visitors it may draw. Rosemead Park is available to host the Freedom Boat during the weekend of March 15. In order to co-host the display the Freedom Boat, Ms. Lai of VCH has asked us to provide: • A location where the Freedom Boat could be displayed • Advertise and promote the event • Assistance with coordination by providing staff on the day of the event • Security (Deputies) because the boat will be in the park overnight The cost for providing the above will cost no more than $15,000 for a two-day event. Although VCH will provide numerous volunteers during the day of the event, because of the large crowd it will attract, and as a partnering agency, staff would be required to help coordinate the event. Attached are photos from previous events. PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process. Prepared by: Aileen Flores Public Affairs Manager Attachment: Photos from Past Freedom Boat Events • • RESOLUTION NO. 2008-12 A RESOLUTION OF THE ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL APPROPRIATING $15,000 IN THE COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS DIVISION, MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES OBJECT OF THE GENERAL FUND WHEREAS, The president of the Vietnamese Cultural House (VCH) met with the Mayor and staff to discuss the possibility of displaying the Freedom Boat in Rosemead, and WHEREAS, the VCH president requested financial assistance from the City to defray costs associated with the display of the Freedom Boat, and WHEREAS, staff recommends that $15,000 be appropriated in account No. 4200- 6410-Fund01 (Community Promotions - Miscellaneous Expenses - General Fund) and be paid to VCH to assist with expenses related to the Freedom Boat presentation, and NOW THEREFORE, there is hereby appropriated to the Miscellaneous Expenses object in the Community Promotions Division of the General Fund $15,000 to be contributed to VCH to assist with expenses related to the presentation of the Freedom Boat presentation. The additional appropriation is made a part of the approved FY2007-08 budget as though it were a part of the initial approved budget fully set forth and the City Manager is authorized and empowered to expend such sum for the purpose of such account, but with no expenditure by any office or department for any item within an account shall exceed the amount budgeted therefore without prior written approval of the City Manager. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 22nd day of January, 2008. John Tran, City Manager ATTEST: City Clerk Page 1 of 1 • The Freedom Boat Mrs. Madalenna Lai of the Vietnamese Cultural House was being interviewed by the local news and TV agencies on the arrival of the boat. (right) 'Z" - A reporter of Daily Bulletin news interviewed Mr. Tran Dinh Dinh and Mrs. Madalenna on the arrival of the boat. Mr. Tran Dinh Dinh is a lawyer, who handled all legal matters to acquire the boat for the Vietnamese Cultural House. (left) -Mr. Gary George of Verizon and Mr. Edie Cortez, Mayor of Pomona, who are strong and long time supporters of the Vietnamese Cultural House being interviewed by the Daily Bulletin news. (left) 0 0 A viewer was overwhelmed with emotions from her personal memory. She was one of the boat people. Vietnamese Cultural House displayed "Freedom Boat" at the Vietnamese festival organized by the Northern California Vietnamese Community and Oue Huong Radio Station in San Jose with about 20 thousand spectators. 0 0 Chi6c Thuyan T4I Do dL10c Iglu didn tai C$ng D6ng VIOt Nam d Houston Texas vdi sy tham dV ti! 5,000 tdi 10,000 dbng huong. "Freedom Boat" displayed at the Vietnamese Community in Houston, Texas with about 8,000 to 10,000 spectators. M i I i T;i~`~ijllj • Second showing in Houston, TX 2001 • Mr. Nguyen Cao My, President of Vietnamese Community organized the event. • Estimated 7000 viewers.